How often you wash your workout gear is dependent on a lot of factors.
When it comes to washing our workout gear, I think we have all been guilty of waiting too long some times. If you live a fit lifestyle, chances are you burn through your workout clothes often. Sometimes you might have a light workout and not even sweat. Other times, you may completely soak through your clothes and need to change immediately. There are no real hard-fast rules as to how often you should wash your workout clothes, but there are some tips I can offer based on the rules of health and common decency.
Here are some things to consider, when deciding how often to wash your gym clothes.
How much do you sweat? If you sweat a lot, you should wash your clothes more often. Sweat gets stuck in tight, non-breathable workout clothes and produce bacteria that can cause anything from minor rashes to MRSA. If you sweat a lot, at the very least you should wash your clothes every other time to prevent the buildup of harmful bacteria.
Where do you live? If you live somewhere with no humidity, your clothes might dry out a lot faster, so you can get away with washing them a little less. If you can hang dry your clothes in the sun, it will also help kill bacteria between washes.
READ MORE: Five Positive Ways Weather Changes Can Affect Your Workout
What type of clothes are you washing? Any type of sports bra should really be washed every time, due to the tendency for bacteria buildup under the breasts. Any type of tight legging that comes in contact with the groin should also be washed every time. Socks, as we all know, tend to become stinky pretty easily. You should probably wash these often too.
Synthetic fibers hold bacteria a lot longer than natural fibers like wool and cotton, so if your workout clothes are all natural, you can get away with more time between washes.
As I said, how often you wash your workout clothes is entirely up to you. As long as you are respectful of any odors, and mindful of potential bacteria you should be all right.